2_1_ScanMag_80_Sep-Oct_2015_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 15/09/2015 19:38 Page 74
A birdwatcher’s polar paradise The fjord municipality of Båtsfjord in the Arctic peninsula of Varanger is one admired by many – and the reason for its popularity is principally in the sky. Tourists and devotees from around the world flock here to engage in unmatched nature experiences, all heightened by the ever-present, particular birdlife. The preferred hub for such experiences? The warm and welcoming Polar Hotel, where comfy beds, freshly-baked bread and amiable staff – accompanied by the experienced adventurers behind Arctic Tourist – turn your stay into an everlasting memory. By Julie Lindén | Photos: GN-foto, Båtsfjord
“Of course the attraction was always here: the birds, the wildlife, the scenery,” begins Gunn Marit Nilsen, hotel manager at Polar Hotel. “When I joined the hotel three years ago it was all about turning that attraction into a well-rounded experience for everyone wanting to make the trip. The wildlife tourists had already found the area – we just had to set up a hotel with amenities to cater to their needs!” The early bird gets the worm – and the perfect photo Her tone is warm and effortless as she describes the hotel’s rise as a paradise for
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“But there is always a lot of excitement involved with the bird-watching trips. After picking up their pre-packed lunch boxes here at the hotel, guests are off with our partners at Arctic Tourist out to sea, where a specially-primed photohide is at their disposal for a few hours. There they can have coffee and tea while snapping away.”
wildlife aficionados from around the world. “We’ve had guests from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan – and they’re absolutely amazed by what they find up here. To Norwegians it might not seem like much; we’ve become accustomed to the nature and animals here, but for them it’s the most exotic experience they’ve encountered.”
The result? Photos depicting king eider, long-tailed duck, Steller’s eider, glaucous gulls, cormorants, razorbills or the majestic eagle, for one’s album, blog or even website. “Oh yes, guests often return with several thousand photos!” Nilsen confirms.
Nilsen explains that getting up at 5.15am for the greatest chance of seeing magnificent birds is no obstacle to the hotel’s guests. “I know I wouldn’t be able to do it: I’m not a morning person!” she laughs.
Home to northern Europe’s largest nesting rock, Syltefjordstauran bird colony, the area naturally attracts scores of bird enthusiasts, but Båtsfjord (literally ‘boat fjord’) still offers a wealth of other activi-
Ice fishing, king crab safaris, seal watching – and the odd whale